Virginia Beach USA Trade Mission in Olongapo
Delegates from Virginia Beach, USA arrived in Olongapo City on Thursday in an economic trade mission as part of the sisterhood pact between the two cities.
Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino and other city officials welcomed the delegation led by Virginia Beach Councilor James Wood and Warren Harris.
After a short program in front of city hall, Wood joined Paulino in raising the flags of both cities, afterwhich the blessing of the Trade Mission Office on the 3rd floor was conducted.
Ruth Fraiser, president of the Sister Cities International said that it is the first time that a sister city like Olongapo dedicated an office for the purpose.
“This simple office is what we can offer to Virginia Beach, we hope that with this, our sisterhood and economic pact will be much stronger,” Paulino said.
“When Mayor Paulino visited us in Virginia Beach, everybody knew him, he was like a rock star and we feel the same way after the warm welcome we received here.” Wood said.
The exchange student program was the first package that the sister cities concluded. Olongapo sent several students to Virginia beach to learn the educational program and exposed themselves to the standard of education Virginia beach students are receiving.
Olongapo is expected to receive a batch of students from Virginia Beach this year in return.
Olongapo City Councilor Jong Cortez, who heads the exchange program for the city said “because of the success of the first batch of students, we are now in the stage of sending college students to Virginia Beach to undergo the same exposure and vice versa for our sister city.”
The visit of Mayor Paulino and Cortez last year to Virginia also led to the donation of 4 rescue boats to Olongapo.
Councilor Jim Wood learned that the city was ravaged by flood and decided to donate the rescue boats, estimated to cost more than one million pesos.
The delegation spent four (4) days in Olongapo to attend to business meetings with prospective local partners, the Metro Olongapo Chamber of Commerce, lecture on EMT and rescue, attend the closing ceremony of the Special Program for Employment of Students and meet with different city college officials.
Meanwhile, a team headed by Enrico Pobre, producer of several International Airsoft Wargames, Roy Estaris, CEO and President of Travel Outlet, Rob Kaneiss, CEO of Magni International Group and Councilor Cortez are scouting for an area for a possible international airsoft event.
The delegation went back to Virginia Beach on June 1.
